- The Mazda MX-30 electric crossover will be discontinued in the United States after 2023.
- Mazda says it has no plans to bring the MX-30 R-EV PHEV to the United States.
- Mazda plans to focus efforts on its larger PHEV vehicles, like the CX-90 and CX-70 PHEV models, as well as a CX-50 hybrid.
The Mazda MX-30, which went on sale in California in 2021, is officially not making a return for the 2024 model year. The MX-30 was also slated to bring the beloved rotary powertrain back to US shores with the MX-30 R-EV PHEV, a model predictably dying with the MX-30’s departure. The company is pivoting away from a battery-only solution to focus its electrification efforts elsewhere.
Considering the MX-30’s slow sales, limited range, and limited availability—it is only sold in California—it makes sense that Mazda is pulling the plug. Instead of launching a longer-range BEV to fill its space, Mazda is leaning on hybrid powertrains for its larger products. That means we can expect more hybrid and plug-in hybrid Mazdas along the lines of the CX-90 PHEV and CX-70 PHEV or the CX-50 hybrid.
The Mazda MX-30 was Mazda’s introduction to modern, battery-electric platforms. This little crossover sports a single motor powering the front wheels and makes 143 hp and 200 lb-ft of torque. Feeding this single electric motor is a 35.5 kWh battery, which gives the MX-30 roughly 100 miles of range. The small battery and limited range were reflected in a relatively affordable $34,645 starting price at launch. For the ’23 model year, that price jumped to $35,485.
It’s hard to say when Mazda will rejoin the battery-electric fray, but it probably won’t be for the next handful of years. Considering companies are investing heavily, and subsequently losing heavily, on battery-electric products, Mazda might be sitting and waiting before returning a BEV machine in the United States.
What do you think about the MX-30’s departure? Tell us your thoughts below.
Wesley Wren has spent his entire life around cars, whether it’s dressing up as his father’s 1954 Ford for Halloween as a child, repairing cars in college or collecting frustrating pieces of history—and most things in between. Wesley is the current steward of a 1954 Ford Crestline Victoria, a 1975 Harley-Davidson FXE and a 1959 Ford Fairlane 500 Galaxie. Oh yeah, and a 2005 Kia Sedona.
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